Costa Mesa Fattens Up on Brethren Christian

Costa Mesa’s Keola Asuega and Alvin Nguyen combined for 295 yards rushing and six touchdowns to lead the Mustangs to a 55-14 victory over Brethren Christian Saturday at Clark Field in Lakewood.

Nguyen gained 155 yards in 10 carries and scored two touchdowns; Asuega gained 140 yards in 17 carries and scored four touchdowns. Costa Mesa (4-1) gained 409 yards on the ground.

After spotting Brethren Christian a 7-0 lead two minutes into the game, the Mustangs drove 69 yards in 3 minutes 41 seconds, tying the score on Asuega’s six-yard run.

From there, Costa Mesa’s defense limited the Warriors to one first down the rest of the half.

Meanwhile, Costa Mesa, after fumbling on its second possession, scored on its next five possessions. Asuega scored 30 seconds into the second quarter on a nine-yard run for a 14-7 lead.

With 5:34 left in the first half, Robert McQueen caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Strickland on a fake field-goal attempt. Asuega ended the half with a one-yard touchdown run, giving the Mustangs a 28-7 lead.

After a 41-yard second-half kickoff return by Nick Cabico, Costa Mesa scored on a four-play drive, finished by Asuega’s 30-yard run.

Five plays later, Anthony Grubisich intercepted a pass by Brethren Christian quarterback Kyle Painter. Soon after that, Nguyen scored on a 44-yard run.

After slotback Leon Green caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Painter with five minutes left in the third quarter, Costa Mesa added two more scores: Nguyen’s 19-yard run early in the fourth quarter and Jason Hurley’s three-yard run with two minutes left.

A week after scoring 55 points and gaining nearly 400 yards in a shutout of Sierra Madre Maranatha, Brethren Christian (1-3-1) was held to 247 yards.

Painter completed 17 of 32 passes for 184 yards; Green rushed for 57 yards in 10 carries. He also had six receptions for 56 yards.

Costa Mesa opens Pacific Coast League play Friday against Corona del Mar at Orange Coast College. Brethren Christian opens Olympic League play against Orange Lutheran at Clark Field.